


My Gobblepot Alliance 2019 Oneshots

by BlackArticFox



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Accidental Groping, Angst, Because it's still soon, Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Denial, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Escape, First Kiss, Fix-It, Gobblepot Alliance Week 2019, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Jim trying to be logical, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mourning, No Man's Land, Oswald is conflicted, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Season 5, Season/Series 05, Slow Dancing, Will (Gotham) (Mentioned), bad attempt at romance, going through all of season 5, multi-chapter, preslash, some banter, that's what fanfiction is for, working together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-13 16:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19255024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackArticFox/pseuds/BlackArticFox
Summary: I decided to make a multi-chaptered canon divergence story of season 5 for this week, each chapter will fill one or two prompts and will take place from before 5x01 up until before 5x12.Chapter 1: One holding the other up/Piggyback ride- Never leave your unit behind (Pre-5x01)Chapter 2: Lifting something together- What are friends for? (Divergence 5x04)Chapter 3: Shaking hands- A friend in the dark... (Divergence 5x04)Chapter 4: Arguing with each other- If there was ever a time... (Rewrite 5x06)Chapter 5: One teaching the other/Building something together- I am an honest criminal, Jim. (Scene seven months in)Chapter 6: Waiting together- I'm not moving (Divergence 5x11)Final chapter: Dancing together/One surprising the other-  You and I share a bond (Divergence Post-5x11)





	1. Never leave your unit behind. (Pre 5x01)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time ever I'm doing this but I'm excited and I'm going to do my best! thanks to [Librarity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Librarity/pseuds/Librarity) and [CaptainChilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainChilly) for supporting me in Discord! I love you guys <3

“This is all your fault!”

“Of course it is.” Jim rolled his eyes with a sigh, why did it have to be Oswald Cobblepot of all people that got captured with him?

Oswald wasn’t supposed to even be near the border of the Green zone, how did he know about that man anyway? 

It was meant to be a quick transaction: The GCPD would give this man refuge and he would give them all the medicines left in his pharmacy. After a month cut off from the mainland, supplies were starting to run low and medicine was the first ressource to disappear.

However, his trip with Harvey, Alvarez and Harper had taken a turn for the worse when they noticed one of Oswald’s cars parked outside the drugstore. The Penguin had come with three of his men, all heavily armed, and looked ready to empty the place.

To make matters  _ even  _ worse, another gang, the Low Boys, had showed up, with more guns and more members. Bullets flew all around them, forcing them to take cover. Jim led the shop owner to the back room, Oswald followed them closely but Jim didn’t turn to fight him on it.

Maybe he should have.

Somehow, someone had entered before them and took advantage of their distracted gazes to the front of the store to knock them out.

Jim had woken up first, his gun, radio and pocket knife were missing- Oswald was unconscious next to him. They were inside a closed room, the only source of light was coming from a window too high up for him to reach; it was still daytime at least. 

The only door of the room was metal and there was no lock in sight. No way to break out.

And that led him to the now: Oswald awake, Jim dying of thirst and neither of them with any idea of what to do.

“Why couldn’t you just leave me to do my business?” Oswald demanded with a snarl.

“You had no business there, it was the Green Zone.” Retorted Jim in a low tone. Oswald always managed to complicate things for him and his people, it was even worse now that Gotham was basically a free-for-all.

“That drugstore was three miles away from your border, I had the right to be there.” Oswald said petulantly pointing a finger at him “But look at this! The Low Boys have us captured and at their mercy. Who knows what they’re planning to do with us!”

“I’ll be happy if it shuts you up.” At Jim’s reply, Oswald scoffed and rolled his eyes “I don’t want to hear anything coming out of your mouth unless it’s a way to get out of here.”

“You may be in control of the GCPD, James,” Oswald limped closer to his spot leaning against a wall, looking to trap him “But you are  _ not _ my superior and I have no obligation to listen to you.”

Jim decided to take it upon himself to placate Penguin. He used his speed and strength to take hold of Oswald’s lapels and turn them around so now it was the shorter man with his back pressed against the wall.

“Stop talking.” He growled, his throat hurt with the effort of his pitch but it came out almost instinctively; it always did with Penguin.

He kept his eyes trained on Oswald’s green pools, waiting for the man to give in. Oswald’s lips remained sealed but he rose to the challenge tipping his chin and straightening his back. Long ago, there was a time when Oswald trembled and stuttered in his hold. During those times, he had to control his his protective impulses to avoid getting into forbidden territory.

This new, combative attitude from the younger male awoke a different impulse in him.

And it led him to the exact same place.

With a huff, Jim let go of his temporary cellmate and stepped away, turning his back on the other to reassure himself he was still in his right mind. There were more pressing matters; he had to focus.

“We need to escape, it’s too dangerous for someone to come looking for us.” Jim said, not knowing if he was just thinking out loud or actually communicating with Oswald.

“When there’s no door, look for a window.” Jim turned back to the dark-haired man and found him looking interestedly at the lone, high window. “We could fit through there.”

“It’s too high to reach.”

“On our own, yes, but together…” Oswald shot him a meaningful look and Jim understood what he meant.

There was a small problem with that, though.

“Forget it, I don’t trust you to pull me up after you get out.”

“Seriously, Jim?” Oswald sounded honestly offended “You have betrayed me countless times and the one you’re doubting would pull through with this alliance is me?”

Jim kept quiet for a moment, hating the guilt those words arose within him. He knew the instances Oswald was referring to, none of which he was proud of -even though, professionally speaking, he should be.

Oswald’s expression was earnest, something Jim hadn’t seen in a while. When was the last time they had worked together? When Oswald went to him for help with Jerome? It must have been; when Oswald had steered a blimp away from the city and avoided an emergency. With his feet on land, Penguin had looked at him with no small amount of reproach. He didn’t yell or threatened anyone; he just stood straight, said he had done it for the city and called a cab instead of accepting the ride Jim had offered him with one of his officers. Jim couldn’t drive Oswald himself, not with the paperwork he had to fill; Oswald was fine and Jerome was dead.

It was for the best.

Now, though, there was something in the current situation that took him years back. To a pier, to a bar, to a hospital. Later he would blame nostalgia for his decision. It was the only sane explanation he could come up with, because nothing about what he was going to do was logical.

“Fine, I’ll give you a push.”

“I’m going to need more than a push.” Oswald was looking thoughtfully at the window, studying it from afar “There seems to be some kind of latch so I need to be held up for a moment.”

“How do you want to do this?” Jim asked without arguing.

“The easiest way would be if you hugged my legs but that does not sound pleasant for me.” Oswald looked him up and down, assessing him “I think it would be better if I climbed on your shoulders, could you bend your knees and press your back against the wall?”

“You’re going to use me as a stool?”

“It is either that or I hold you up and, with all due respect, Jim, I don’t think I would be able to do it long enough to make it out of here without permanent damage to my spine.” Oswald smirked at him, there was playfulness in his eyes but no malice.

Now it was Jim who assessed the Kingpin. It was true; if Oswald tried to hold him up they would end up in a heap on the floor with something sprained. He was the stronger of the two, unless Oswald drank a magic potion to give him super strength, so there was only one way to do this.

Jim grunted and did as Oswald instructed. He made sure that his legs were well-placed and his feet firm on the floor, he didn’t want to have to repeat it.

Oswald didn’t need any prompting, he just stepped up to Jim and rested his hands on his shoulders. Jim locked his knees when Oswald put his right foot on his leg, the twisted limb moving until it was in the proper position and then brought the other foot up which would have been fine, had Penguin’s face not ended up so close to Jim’s he could feel the other’s pointy nose brush his for a second.

Jim instantly moved away, hitting his head against the wall strong enough to make him hiss. If Oswald noticed, he didn't comment and kept moving to straighten himself on Jim's thighs. 

"Woah!" Oswald exclaimed suddenly and Jim felt him move precariously backwards.

His hands shot upwards to keep the shorter man from falling.

He realized that life hated him then.

"James, you may move your hands now." Yes, yes; he should move his hands, because Oswald was stable already and he had no reason to keep his hold on his soft butt… and he definitely didn't need to think of adjectives for said ass.

Jim quickly lowered his hands but kept them on the back of Penguin's thighs; he couldn't afford to let him fall and it didn't matter that his hands were barely a couple of inches below the place they were originally.

"I don't want to risk it." He answered the unasked question, his dry throat raspy with what he told himself was conviction "Just hurry up."

"Fine, at least you are making yourself useful." Oswald huffed and Jim could admit that the squeak he heard when his hands twitched gave him some catharsis.

“Move!” Jim urged gravelly.

Oswald’s body tensed even more before his left foot moved onto Jim’s shoulder, Jim’s right hand moved to hold Penguin’s calf while the other received even more weight to take off pressure from the injured limb on his thigh. The climb went much smoother this time and Jim soon heard a telling click.

The smaller male started pushing upwards and Jim rose with him, making sure Oswald’s feet never left his shoulders until he was standing upright. The Penguin grunted with every movement and curiosity got the best of Jim, he walked away from the wall and saw Oswald halfway out the window; his hips and legs were hanging down still and, if Jim noted Oswald’s ass looked like a heart, no one else needed to to know.

“James! I would appreciate you lending me a hand!” Oswald called trying to get his right knee over the ledge.

“Sorry, forgot penguins can’t climb.” The low rumble that could be considered Oswald’s growl was enough to imagine the detailed features contorted into a frown, he couldn’t help smirking at the picture.

Jim walked back to his temporary companion and used his hands as a platform for Oswald’s good leg, it was enough to get his narrow hips to the other side of the window. From then, the brunet did the rest of the work and he was laid on his stomach, looking back into the room; they were kept in a basement, that made things easier for them.

“Very well, old friend,” Oswald extended both his arms downwards, his hands open to receive Jim’s larger ones “You have a high jump to make.”

James nodded to himself and took a couple of steps back; he had to do something he hadn’t done in a long time. He sprinted towards the wall as fast as he could and stepped on it once, twice, three times before reaching up with the gained impulse. Oswald caught him by the wrist with two hands while Jim’s other hand barely held onto the ledge by his fingers.

He was soon being pulled up, the grip on his wrist was proof enough of how hard it was for the former Mayor to hold his weight so he did his best to get his other arm stable on the street and get his foot on the ledge. From there, he would be able to do the heavy lifting himself.

Before he knew it, he was on his knees in front of Oswald with said man in a similar position but breathing much more harshly than Jim himself. His usually milky-white flesh was tinted red from the tip of his ears to the tip of his nose. Jim supposed he looked the same, if he went with that idea, he could explain the fact that they were staring at each other while catching their breath as them finding the reddish tint interesting.

_ “Alluring” _ was not a word he wanted to dwell on right now.

“Hey!”

Their heads snapped up to find one of the Low Boys just rounding the corner, gun in hand and shock on his face.

“We’ve gotta go!” Jim was on his feet in a blink and immediately went to pull Oswald up as the gang member took aim.

The captain and the kingpin sprinted down the street while gunshots sounded after them accompanied by a voice yelling that the prisoners had escaped. Jim never looked back, just listened to Oswald’s uneven steps following him with surprising speed.

The streets became alleys. At least Jim knew this place like the back of his hand and took enough twists and turns to, hopefully, get the gang off their backs long enough to make it out of their territory and back to his own. They could figure out what to do once they were far away from these people.

“Gah!” Oswald’s sudden cry stopped Jim on his tracks and he spun around so fast he lost focus for a second.

“Oswald?” His voice was more alarmed than he would dare to admit, but the sight of Oswald back on the floor, holding his calf -his  _ left _ calf and biting his lower lip as if holding in every sound he wanted to make was worrying.

Jim ran to Oswald’s side and forced his hands away from his leg, half-ordering, half-begging to let him see the damage. The trouser leg was ripped open and there was a deep gash that was bleeding more than he had initially expected. A quick scan of the area showed him a broken pipe poking out of a wall with a trail of blood that followed the Penguin; they would need to get that checked.

Without any time to lose, Jim took off his tie and used it as bandage to stop the bleeding; they had to keep moving.

“Can you stand, Oswald?” To his credit, Oswald did try to stand, but it was obvious there was no way he could walk. Let alone run.

“Perhaps we’ve lost them.” Oswald said just as a few more gunshots were heard. They were not too close but it was still a risk; their pursuers weren’t giving up.

“All right, then.” Jim took both of Oswald’s hands and turned his back to him as if he were dancing before placing them on his shoulders. When the raven-haired man made no move to back away, Jim reached as far back as he could to get a good hold of Oswald. It was completely accidental - _ again _ \- that his hands ended up with a handful of Oswald’s buttocks, at least, he was focused enough on his objective this time to move without being told until his palms almost reached the back of Cobblepot’s knees “Hang on.”

A grunt was pulled out of him when he stood, not so much for the new weight on his back as for Oswald’s forearm pressing momentarily against his throat when he readjusted his hold. Oswald mumbled an apology into his ear and Jim barely suppressed the shiver that threatened to travel down his spine, opting instead for hitching the smaller man a little higher on his back with a hop.

“We aren’t far from their border, just a few more blocks.” Whether the comment was directed at himself or Oswald, Jim wasn’t sure, but it was enough to get him jogging.

Jim cleared his mind of everything but the mission. He remembered a similar scenario during his training and had been one of the best times of his unit: He was not in a broken city escaping from gang members, he was in a secluded neighborhood with members of the opposing army trying to capture him; and the man on his back was not Oswald Cobblepot, but a wounded soldier from his team that he needed to get back to their camp.

_ ‘Never leave your unit behind’. _

That was never really an option.

He was gasping for air when he finally caught sight of the wall surrounding the area. There were a few members of the gang in front of an open entrance where he could see Harvey accompanied by Alvarez and a couple of men in black he recognized as Oswald’s men.

They had come looking for them, together.

“Jim, we can’t let them see us.” Whispered Oswald, whether he had caressed Jim’s lobe with his lips intentionally or not, he preferred to keep it unspoken.

Quickly, he ducked behind the nearest building. Being seen by either their colleagues or their enemies was a big risk, if any of them started to shoot it could be deadly… but, distracting the guards was the best bet to give Harvey and the others the upper hand.

“Stay here, I’m going to get their attention.” Jim said, lowering Oswald to the floor carefully.

“What?!” Oswald’s arms refused to move from around his neck, the hold so tight that Jim couldn’t turn to look at him “They’ll shoot you!”

“It’s our best chance.” Jim grabbed Oswald’s wrists and forced him to let go. When he finally faced the smaller man, they were much closer than he had anticipated; he could clearly see the pale green lines in the otherwise laurel-colored irises. He told himself that, at least, their noses hadn’t bumped again.

The sudden emptiness in the pit of his stomach could only be explained by his anticipation to act as a distraction.

With one last, encouraging breath, Jim walked away from Penguin and onto the open street. Harvey didn’t seem any closer to getting past the guards so it was now or never.

“Hey!” Jim yelled, earning himself a handful of guns pointed at him. He broke into a run towards the building opposite Oswald before the first shot rang. He swore he heard a bullet whirring past the back of his head.

There were yells and grunts by the time he was back in an alley and, then, the place fell silent just as quickly as it had erupted into a deadly uproar.

“Jim!” Two voices called him at the same time, making him peek around the corner. All the people that had come to their rescue were well and standing, the bodies in front of them… he didn’t want to think too much about those.

“Come on Jim, we have to go!” Harvey yelled at him, looking around in case back up showed up. Oswald’s men for their part, seemed ready to enter the territory to find him.

“Hold on!” He called back and went straight to the other voice that had screamed his name “Now or never, Oswald, let’s go.”

Getting Oswald to climb onto his back was much easier this time and he felt the weirdest amusement on the bewildered expressions on his fellow officers and on Oswald’s guards.

They had made it out alive, once again, from a difficult situation thanks to a temporary mutual agreement. It would be over as soon as he reached the gates: Oswald would be taken back to his territory to be seen by their doctor and he’d catch up on what happened in the drug store before going back to the precinct and resume his mission of finding supplies and helping refugees.

This wasn’t going to be the last time they met in no-man’s-land, he was sure, but he also couldn’t tell what their future meetings would look like so, just for a moment, he could imagine they were not fighting against one another but fighting together on the same side.

On Gotham’s side.


	2. What are friends for? (Divergence 5x04)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Haven was bombed, Oswald decided to stick around and help the rescue missions. He finds himself helping Jim a different way entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fix-it for 5x04. Right at the start after they finished putting out the fire. I love Harvey, but this isn't about him so I had to take a moment from him. Angsty! I'm not used to this. Hope you like it!

It was absolute pandemonium.

As much as Oswald tried to make logic of what was happening around them, he couldn’t even begin to comprehend who had been the one responsible. Who would want to do something like this to refugees? Men, women and children alike -Oswald could swear he even saw a couple of dogs and cats meandering around.

And now, all he could see was red, orange and yellow dancing to the rhythm of Gotham’s chilly wind. His first thought was that it could have been him in there, he had been caged with Jim barely an hour ago. Then, he realized it could have been Jim too, burning inside with him if they hadn’t been crushed to death already; buried under the dozens of people they had wanted to protect from the gangs he himself allowed to enter Haven, their screams acting as farewell song for the Kingpin and the Captain.

Oswald tore his eyes from the flames and searched for his dog among the shadows that moved away from the fire between coughs and laments. His pet was the only being from his territory he knew for certain was still alive and he needed to reassure himself of that right then and there. The poor creature was shivering between a few boxes, whimpering as if it were a child. He limped towards Edward and took him in his arms, trying to give him comfort while receiving solace in return; despite the dire circumstances, it could have been much worse.

“Oswald!” He didn’t have time to turn around before he was forced to by a hard pull on his shoulders, he found Jim’s enraged face when his head stopped spinning, the Captain’s hands holding his lapels as if he wanted to tear them off the suit. Oswald’s hold on Edward tightened at the accusation in Jame’s eyes. “You did this! You brought the gangs here!”

“No!” He replied desperately, understanding where Jim was coming from but knowing he had to convince him that he was innocent now or he’d never had the chance “I would never allow that! None of them had any explosives that I know of-!”

“Jim!” Harvey pulled Jim away from him, making him focus his attention in putting out the fire.

Oswald took that moment to step away, closer to where the people were being taken to be checked for injuries or intoxication. They had just started to love him; he was not going to let all that effort go to waste.

It was hours before the fire was controlled. What was still standing reminded him of the pictures he saw in the history books; those that documented the aftermath of wars and bombings.

He never thought he’d see that in Gotham.

Oswald left Edward with a member of his chorus that had, miraculously, gotten out of the building with only a bump on his head and walked back up to Jim. He assumed his previous suspicion of him was gone by now. Even if that wasn’t the case, he could still prove he was on Jim’s side by helping him however he could.

“We need volunteers to go inside and look for any survivor, we can’t waste anymore time.” Jim was instructing other GCPD members “Ask around to see if any civilian is willing to join us, I’ll be going in first.”

“Yes, sir!” The officers dispersed as Jim breathed a sigh, Oswald took that as his cue to enter.

“Jim, I’m coming with you.”

“Why?” Jim turned to him with a raised eyebrow, he did look more curious than accusing so it was better than last night already.

“I had people inside too, everyone inside was an innocent refugee and I find it as horrifying as you do that someone dared to do something like this to them.” Oswald spoke honestly and decided. “I can’t stand by and do nothing.”

Jim looked at him sternly, trying to find anything dishonest in his person; he would find nothing. He seriously did want to look in case there was someone alive among the debris, whether it was to help those people have another chance at living or to feel a little better about himself, it didn’t matter. He just wanted to do it.

“Fine, come with me.” Jim finally acceded before turning to Bullock “Harvey, you’re in charge; send the volunteers in with every precaution and in order.”

“Sure thing, partner.”

Jim motioned Oswald to follow him and he did without complaint. Although, he  _ could _ complain, after all; had Jim not shot him in the leg, his limp would be much better and his leg wouldn’t be hurting him right now. But he was above that, he was the bigger man, and he was going to show it.

When they entered the building, the smell of burnt wood and flesh flooded his nose. For the first time since Gotham was cut from the mainland, he felt like throwing up. He could see the the carcinated bodies among the blackened furniture that had resisted the fire, the poses and expressions spoke volumes of their pain and fear. Pompeii was being dramatized in front of him and his chest clenched with pain he hadn’t felt before. Different, unlike any other, but powerful and breathtaking all the same.

Different body-types were lying about, from famelic to cherubic; there were bodies half Oswald’s size and also twice as tall. Behind a bunk bed, he was able to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a small bundle of burnt hair. He shuddered; it had to be an animal. There was the urge to run back to Edward and hold him close, kiss his head and tell him he loved him, but he resisted it and kept walking.

“Is anyone here?” Jim yelled at the room, his shoulders looked much tenser even from the back “Can anyone hear me?”

“Help!” A feminine voice was heard somewhere from behind a fallen piece of ceiling.

Jim ran towards the voice as carefully as he could, Oswald right behind him while keeping an eye on his surroundings in case he saw movement. Part of him wished he didn’t, there was no way any of the bodies on the floor would live for long if they were still breathing, not to mention the excruciating pain they would be in.

“Ma’am, can you hear me?” Jim pressed his ear against the makeshift wall slowly, Oswald kept his distance to be on the safe side.

“Yes, please, help me!” He had to give it to her, she was keeping considerably calm, most people would be in hysterics by then “Please!”

“Is anyone in there with you?” Jim asked maintaining an appeasing tone.

“Not that I can see.”

“Stay back, we’ll give you the signal when you can come out.” Jim finally looked at Oswald again “Think you can handle this?”

“Don’t underestimate me.” He huffed and went to stand opposite to the Captain, trying to discern the best way to position his hands for the heavy lifting.

Jim counted to three and they lifted together. It was hard and the uneven edges hurt his fingers but it was moving and, soon, there was an opening big enough for the woman to crawl under, which she did as soon as she was instructed to do so. There were footsteps coming their way and someone calling detective Gordon’s name. Oswald thought Jim would answer as soon as he heard it but, instead, he felt the whole weight of that piece of construction fall on his hands. He let go as quickly as he could but he still got a long cut along the fingers of his right hand that made him hiss in pain.

“James! What the f-!” Oswald cut his rambling off when he caught sight of the blonde kneeling on the floor with his back to him “James?”

“What do I do?” The woman asked him after noticing the detective unresponsive.

“Eh, go find the officers that are yelling and tell them that everything is clear on this side so they should focus somewhere else.” Oswald instructed, hoping he could have a moment alone with Jim. He was acting weird.

The woman nodded,thanked them profusely and then she was gone. Oswald heard her intake of breath upon seeing all the calcined bodies but she kept walking. All things considered, the woman had a few cuts and bruises and redness in one arm but would be able to live a good life after se recovered. He could only hope the rest of survivors were in a shape similar to hers. Hopeless as it was.

“Jim?” He asked after ensuring his hand wasn’t bleeding anymore “Is there something wrong?”

James didn’t even acknowledged him, he kept his head bowed and his posture defeated. Oswald hobbled slowly, fearing the man could break at any sudden movement. He stayed a few steps behind and tried to gain Jim’s attention again to the same results. Was he suddenly catatonic? They needed to keep moving, but he rarely saw the older man show this kind of emotion and didn’t want to force him without knowing what was happening.

Oswald gulped and moved to stand in front of Jim this time. He could finally see what was keeping his mind occupied and Oswald couldn’t repress the sympathy welling inside him.

“I’m so sorry.” He said softly while looking at the badge in Jim’s hand “They must have been doing something good when this happened.”

“It’s mine.”

“What?” He had to have heard wrong.

“This is my badge.” Jim said louder.

“You dropped that huge piece of trash to pick up your badge?” Oswald was enraged “I got a cut because of that! I could have lost my hand! Why didn’t you just make sure it was secure on your belt to begin with?”

“Will had it.” James voice broke at the name and so did Oswald’s temper. “I gave it to him, I told him he could help me in Haven.”

“Oh, Jim,” Oswald exhaled “I- I didn’t know, I’m sorry, I…”

“I couldn’t protect him; I promised him I would and I didn’t.”

“James.” Oswald wanted to give him comfort, but, what if he decided to blame him again? Would he even want to listen to him?

He had just seen the kid for a couple of minutes but he trusted Jim and helped them escape even though it could have been dangerous for him. There was something strikingly familiar, something that overrode his insecurities and moved him to his knees in spite of the pain, right in front of the Captain of the GCPD.

Jim didn’t raise his head but, from this angle, Oswald saw the despair in every line of Jim’s face. He knew that expression, he saw it plenty once upon a time in Arkham; it stared back to him from the stained mirrors when he had a nightmare about Sofia hurting Martin or even when he thought of the boy hating him for his weakness when they finally met again. Then, he went even further back in his memory: A cage, a knife, a smile. He spent days with that mix of emotions weighing on him. It was a sum of defeat and fear and loneliness.

Not even in his worst times with James Gordon had he wanted to see him like that. Or maybe, he just never expected that it would hurt him as much as it did to see it. It was as if a hand had gone through his chest and straight to his heart, where it tried to squeeze every single drop of blood available until he could no longer breathe.

“Maybe he’s still alive somewhere.”

“He isn’t.”

“You don’t know that-”

“Yes I do!” Jim finally met his eyes, the tears hanging on his lower lashes make Oswald’s own eyes water “He’s dead, Oswald, and I didn’t do anything.”

“You  _ couldn’t _ , Jim.” Oswald insisted “How could you? How could any of us?”

Jim’s lips trembled, whether from holding in words or sobs, Oswald didn’t know. He didn’t really care. Not at this moment, when he empathized with Gordon’s pain: Losing someone you swore to protect, seeing in their eyes the trust they laid on you to keep your word, the unwavering security that everything would be all right. He had been where Jim stood now, and he didn’t have anyone to turn to at first.

Then, there had been a friend who helped him.

He had to be that helping hand now to someone else. To his old friend.

Oswal reached for Jim’s hands with both of his own, being careful to not touch the badge, and held the rough, dirtied hands in his own, his touch tender but firm. He just had to reassure Jim that he was there, willing to help him in any way he needed.

Nothing happened at first, Oswald stayed still while Jim tried to control his breathing. The tears in Jim’s eyes never escaped down his cheek; he was trying to force them back. Oswald wanted to tell him that he didn’t need to do that, that he could cry all he wanted. He didn’t. He just stayed there for seconds or minutes or hours while James kept fighting himself.

Suddenly, there was movement; Jim leaned forward until his eyes were pressed against Oswald’s shoulder. His breathing was still shuddering, the grip on the badge tightened, but no sound came from his mouth aside from forceful exhales that barely tickled Oswald’s neck. The former Mayor turned his head slightly, just enough so that his jaw brushed against Jim’s sweaty hair; he was still there and wouldn’t leave until Jim was up once more.

As more breaths passed, Oswald noticed that Jim was trying to match his breathing to Oswald’s calm one. It was a good idea. Oswald deepened his inhales and slowed his exhales, Jim was quick in synchronizing their breathings. The detective’s shoulders moved slowly and tension was visibly lifting off of them.

He was not ok, not at all. But he could still stand and keep working for those people that made it out alive. He had to, Oswald knew Jim was not a quitter, even less when lives were at stake. The one he had called “the last honest man in Gotham” had to stand again and be a beacon for the refugees.

Of course Oswald wanted to be one too, but he knew, deep down; he cast a different kind of light. Jim’s light was bright, warm and golden. His was dim, cold and blue. What the people outside needed was to be given hope, and he couldn’t do that, not like Jim could.

Jim would have time to mourn properly later. When he had regained some control of the situation and worked through the refugees’ fears and wounds. It was going to take time, but his moment would come.

“Thanks.” The whisper was so soft, Oswald feared it had been a trick of the wind, but when one of Jim’s fingers moved from the badge to rest on one of his ungloved fingers, he knew the truth.

And he treasured it.

“No need to thank me.” He murmured slowly, as stoically as he could manage.

Jim straightened his back and stood in one swift moment. His hands left Oswald’s to receive the chilly morning breeze, his green eyes downcast to the ashes on Jim’s shoes. It was Jim’s turn to make a move.

“That can’t be good for your leg.” Was what Jim said to make him look up at him. He wasn’t smiling or crying or even frowning. His face looked the same as it did last night, with his brow and lips relaxed and his bright blue eyes showing gratitude and relief; it had pulled an honest smile out of him then and it did again at this moment.

Although, this time, there would be no Barbara to threaten him and break the moment so he took the liberty to enjoy it.

“There’s no fooling you, is there, Jim?” He said without malice.

Jim didn’t reply but put his badge back where it belonged and offered him a hand that he accepted right away; there was nothing else to help as support and he appreciated the gesture. Jim pulled him up before he even made the effort to plant his feet on the floor and he stumbled to keep his balance until James supported him with a hand on his shoulder, the other still holding his firmly.

He huffed and scrunched up his nose but the twinkle in Jim’s pools calmed him down. At least he was trying to keep up the good humor. He could deal with that.

Jim let him go once he deemed Oswald stable enough and moved his hands to rest on his hips like he always did.

“So you still want to help looking for survivors?”

“Of course, you need all the help you can get.” He said with a haughty smile. Jim nodded once and went back the way they came, surely trying to meet with other rescuers.

Oswald followed him, as usual. He would be there to help now and he would make sure to be there when Jim finally had time to mourn. After all, what were friends for?


	3. A friend in the dark... (Divergence 5x04)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After letting Zsasz go, Jim has some very meddlesome thoughts bothering him. And Oswald's presence in his office was the last thing he needed to help him clear his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, still same episode as last one but this focus more towards the ending of the episode. You know, just adding a little something that should have totally happened.

Jim had lost count of the times Oswald and him had shaken hands. Not that he was keeping count to begin with.

He could remember certain details of some of them. He remembered having initiated three, the first of which was at the Falcone mansion, and it had been no more than a greeting. Also regarding the Falcone; his other two initiated handshakes had been when they were at war with Sofia. One when Jim thought he still had the upper hand. The other when he knew there was only one way to deal with her, that last one almost ended with Oswald behind bars again.

Or not.

Oswald was innocent after all, even if he did break out of Arkham he was inside because of Jim’s fault. And he didn’t want to do the same mistake three times; he was supposed to follow the law, Oswald’s time in Arkham -both times, had been because he himself broke it, not Oswald, but him.

He often wondered how people still considered him for moral guidance.

Then, he recalled when Oswald had forced a handshake out of him, in front of the press, when he promised to find Crane and show Gotham that the GCPD were the people looking out for them, not Penguin.

The results had been fucking fantastic.

Turns out, those handshakes were a vivid memory of hoping for something that ended up causing them a lot of problems. One would think he’d have learned his lesson, but he didn’t. Downsides of being as stubborn as a fucking mule.

A lot had happened to get them to earlier that day, when Oswald gave him, and the rest of the officers, weapons and ammo enough to fight anything that came at them. The black-haired man had claimed that he wanted to find the culprit for Haven as much as Jim did and make them pay. They were partners with that one handshake and Oswald behaved as one. Until he didn’t.

Lucius called, telling them it hadn’t been Zsasz who blew up the refuge. Oswald didn’t care; he took Zsasz by force, pulled a court out of his ass and almost had him beheaded.

Quite a few people had decided to stay in Penguin’s territory. That was fine, they could do as they wanted. He had to look out for his own people. The few they had.

There was a heavy feeling in his chest though, he had let a moment of possible alliance beat him over the head again after it ended in disaster. Worst of all, his disappointment was easily seen by those closer to him.

“Jim, what’s wrong?” Harvey asked on the drive back to the precinct, after letting Zsasz go. After daring Zsasz to a duel with guns. After leaving his best friend unarmed.

“The pressure is getting to me, I need to get some rest.”

“Yeah, no shit, you made me give my gun to a hitman!” Harvey ran a hand through his beard in a contemplative manner “First you don’t kill Penguin and  _ now _ you practically asked Zsasz to put a bullet in your bain.”

“Again with killing Penguin?” Jim rolled his eyes “We wouldn’t have captured Zsasz without the guns he gave us.”

“What was the point anyway? He didn’t do it!”

“Right now we have to focus on finding the real person that attacked Haven while protecting the refugees we still have with us.” Jim said, wanting to just be over with the conversation.

“Something wrong with your hand?”

“What?”

“You’ve been stroking your hand for a while now, are you hurt?”

Jim looked down and noticed that he was, in fact, stroking his left hand. The back of his left hand to be more precise.

“No, it’s a nervous tic.” He said folding his arms over his chest.

“No, you play with your hair and grind your teeth when you’re nervous.” Harvey pointed out “I don’t want you hiding things from me, if you’re hurt just say so.”

“I promise I’m fine.”

Harvey looked at him  dubiously but didn’t press the subject. The rest of the drive was blissfully quiet. All Jim wanted at that moment was get some alcohol into his system and not think about anything until next morning.

The black car he noticed upon arriving to his destination told him that his wishes would have to wait.

“Great, Penguin’s here again.” Harvey said sarcastically fixing his hat “Are you good to deal with him?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

He had hoped to have a few days without Oswald’s intervention. Hoped Oswald was so upset with him that he would prefer to keep his distance -Then again, he  _ had _ managed to take most of Haven’s survivors under his wing; it was likely he just wanted to gloat. Whatever, he would endure it and send him back to City Hall as quickly as he could.

“Captain,” Harper intercepted him as soon as he crossed the entrance “Penguin’s waiting for you in your office.”

“Thanks.”

The door to his office was open and he could see Oswald sitting in a chair with his back to the door, he must have felt pretty secure with his two henchmen standing guard at the door. Jim passed by them without sparing them a glance, his steps firm on the floor so Oswald could hear him enter.

“This better be good, I’ve had enough of you for one day.” Jim growled, he wanted to be as menacing as possible and get the shorter man away from him. He even left the door open to make his point clearer.

“I never make unnecessary visits, James, you should know this.” Whether Oswald had been in a bad mood before his appearance or after hearing Jim’s greeting he didn’t know, but he hoped it would make the visit shorter anyway.

Jim took a seat at his desk and looked meaningfully to Oswald, inviting him to continue.

“It’s obvious I had some personal matters to attend with Zsasz and I let them control me at a rather unfortunate moment.” Jim didn’t give him a reply, just waited. “And I would like to compensate you for that. I was planning on taking back my guns but it’s obvious you need them and I have more than enough for my men, so, keep them  _ and _ the ammo.”

“Where’s the catch?” The question was out of his mouth before he could think it through.

“No catch.” Oswald answered looking him straight in the eye “Consider us even; I recognize what you’ve done for me since the bridges blew, old friend, and this is my way of showing gratitude. I hate being indebted to someone; it’s not good business.”

Jim studied Oswald for a few seconds. There had to be something he was hiding, something he wanted. Oswald never did things without wanting something in return-

_ ‘You couldn’t, Jim. How could you? How could any of us?’ _

_ ‘No need to thank me.’ _

… or maybe he did, some times.

_ ´Friends don’t owe friends.’ _

How long ago had that been? Five years? Once upon a time, he could have been accused of taking advantage of Oswald’s willingness to help him and, for that, he started the favor mechanic. One he himself made Oswald use to its full potential after making him think he’d leave him behind for Maroni’s men to find. He wouldn’t have, not really, but he needed that favor off his back.

And, then, he went asking for Oswald’s help to get his old job back. Their relationship had changed drastically after that; it reached new highs and new lows and it never stayed stable. The only thing that never changed was that they would, inevitably, end up in each other’s life time and again no matter how at odds they were.

If he thought about it, the only logical explanation for that was that they both had the same objective.

Gotham.

They didn’t want the same for her, not when their objectives were shallowly studied. Deep down though, past all their words and claims and methods, they just wanted one thing for this city. Make her the best she could be. Gotham brought them together all the time and they shook hands in a silent promise to help achieve that.

...That was all that there was. It was all for Gotham and nothing else.

He felt the sudden urge to puke at the inexplicable, bitter taste in his mouth. He hadn’t even started drinking yet.

“We’ll be glad to take your offering then.” He stood and extended his right hand, he could be jinxing this but he felt like they needed to seal the deal somehow. Oswald rose to his feet and accepted the gesture, letting go after a firm tightening of his hand.

“Perfect, that’s all I needed.” Oswald smiled without showing his teeth “Oh, except for one more thing.”

Of-fucking-course there was another thing

“What is it?”

“Come here, would you?” Oswald motioned him to stand in front of him. With a tired sigh he complied, what could he try to do to him in his office anyway?

“What?” He demanded with his hands on his hips.

Oswald took his left hand and held it palm-up between them. Jim watched carefully as Oswald took a box of ammo from his trousers and laid it on his hand, resting his own palm mover the package. The tips of Penguin’s fingers brushed over the heel of his hand causing a tingling sensation to spread through Jim’s skin.

“You kept the one I gave you, these are some more bullets for it; accept it as a token of friendship.” Oswald said in a voice reminiscent to the one he used only for him back when he was just starting to enjoy the power of a Kingpin. The glow in his green eyes and the shyness peeking out from under the arrogance of his posture made Jim swear the man in front of him had his fringe down, freckles in full display and a slightly different dressing style.

And, hell, for a moment he wished he could travel back in time to that moment and accept the gift given to him out of respect then, instead of having to accept bullets out of necessity now.

_ ‘And walking with a friend in the dark, is better than walking alone in the light.’ _

“Thanks” He grunted out as Oswald’s fingers left the back of his left hand slowly, tentatively.

Without another word, Oswald walked out of his office and out of the precinct with his two guards. Every pair of eyes followed them until they were out. In a world with no rules, Oswald still demanded respect and attention by his mere presence. For someone who started out so unremarkably normal for a criminal, he had made a name of himself. Just like Jim. He supposed, Gotham had given them both that as well.

“What did Penguin want?” Harvey asked him, approaching from the stairs.

“He said we could keep the guns he gave us.” Jim said and heard his partner snort.

“Real generous.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm “Jim, seriously stop that!”

“What?!” There was some unexpected defensiveness in there but Jim didn’t try to correct it.

“Rubbing your hand, either you’re hurt or you’re getting a rash but it’s getting on my nerves.”

Jim stopped all movement of his arms and looked down. He was running his fingers over the back of his left hand still, the box of ammo in his grip. What was he doing? There was a ghosting sensation there, it was like those times someone cupped the side of his face softly or played with the hairs at the back of his neck tenderly.

He shouldn’t be making comparisons. Not when Oswald just left but his ghost stayed. Not when he started to drink and kept going, thinking about the day, every single part of it. Not when Barbara teased him about being alone and went to toy with him.

Not when all he he wanted, all he desired, all he needed was another touch. Anything to get him to stop touching his hand. Anything that made him focus again and forget, forget what that did to him. There were only favors and deals that eventually blew up in his face, those sealed with a handshake of his right hand.

And if the short hair trapped in his left hand looked black when the dim light didn’t reach it, it had nothing to do with his fuzzy mind.


	4. If there was ever a time... (Rewrite 5x06)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald had hoped killing the crazy girl he found trying to steal a blue diamond from him, would be the most stressfull thing he'd do that day. He forgot a certain Detective always made things more complicated when he least expected it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I took all the liberties. I switched Barbara with Oswald because I can and I wanted to. Also because it gave me a chance to add a few small arguments between Oz and Jim. Next I think I'm going to do something about those nine months, because there is no wedding in this AU.

“What the hell is the meaning of this, Jim?”

Oswald had very little patience that day. Just less than an hour ago he had to carry out a corpse of one meddlesome thief-wannabe that attempted to take part of his treasure and, now, out of nowhere comes Jim with a hand-tied Ed as if he owned the place.

“I need some place to lay low.” Jim answered untying Ed “Things got too complicated too quickly.”

“Take a seat then by all means.” Oswald moved his arms exaggeratedly “I thought you’d leave me alone after sending those brutes to get me like a package!”

“This has everything to do with them!” Jim responded walking closer to Oswald “We found out what’s going on with Ed. The government made Hugo Strange andhere a chip to his brain that Eduardo controls from the distance; that’s how he made Ed blow up Haven and he was also the one who shot the chopper down.”

“Wait, was that what actually happened?” Oswald asked Ed “Strange put a chip in your brain?”

“Yes, and they’ve been using me as a pawn.” Edward said with a deep frown “They made me kill innocent people and messed with my brain, I want revenge.”

“You’ll get it.” Oswald assured. Jim looked like he had the urge to say something, but the movement of his head brought his attention to the Detective’s neck “Jim, what happened to you?”

“Nothing important.” Jim’s gruff confidence was broken by his quick glance at Ed, it must have been subconsciously but ws enough to tell Oswald more or less what happened.

“Let me see it.” He demanded and Jim studied his face before peeling off his makeshift bandage. There was a deep cut close to his jugular, it wouldn’t do with that gauze “You’re going to need stitches, Ed could you get the first-aid kit?”

“Why me?” Edward asked indignantly and Oswald simply turned to look at him, knowing he could make him yield “Fine, I’ll make myself useful. Where is it?”

“Upstairs, in a cabinet in the bathroom.”

The tall man climbed up the stairs two at a time and soon they heard the door opening and his footsteps disappear.

“I need to keep moving, Bruce called me before we arrived and said things are a mess in the GCPD.” James spoke suddenly, trying to cover the wound again. Oswald grabbed his hand to stop him.

“You’ll leave  _ after _ you’re properly patched up.” He said decisively.

“So then you can use it as a debt to collect?” Jim’s eyes suddenly turned cold.

“I’m just trying to help you!” Oswald retorted frustrated.

“You always want something in return when you help someone!”

“Excuse me for knowing how one survives in this city nowadays!” Oswald got up to Jim’s face, he wasn’t going to let Jim intimidate him in his own home “But this is bigger than us, James! This is about Gotham herself and I will do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”

“Like protecting Nygma?”

“Ed is innocent and now you have proof! I told you where to find him anyway, it’s not my fault that you were stupid enough to let him hurt you!”

“I shouldn’t have come here.”

“Then, why did you?”

The question hung between them travelling with their labored breaths. Oswald hadn’t thought through the question when he asked it, but he didn’t want to take it back now. He could read James Gordon most of the time; he was a complicated but rather predictable man. This time, however, when he admitted making a mistake in seeking his help, Oswald couldn’t find an explanation of his own.

He wanted-  _ needed _ one.

“Pardon me,” Ed’s voice startled him out of his trance and made him look up to find the lanky man looking back at them with a raised eyebrow “Am I interrupting something?”

The curious gaze made Oswald aware of the fact that he hadn’t let go of Jim’s hand throughout the whole argument. What’s more, he had such a strong hold on it that Jim’s fingers were turning white. His own fingers weren’t fairing much better; the captain, too, had squeezed back so Oswald’s pale skin looked deadly white now.

He was the first one to break contact, pulling his hand away with a little too much force and waving it to get the circulation back to his fingertips.

Jim buffed, the way it sounded could be mocking or amused, neither of which pleased Oswald.

“James being a cretin, that’s what you interrupted.” Oswald said and the first-aid kit from Ed “Sit, both of you.”

He started stitching Jim while Ed recounted what he had been doing in the last months, especially the last week. It seemed Ed had been through a lot and hadn’t seen his other self since waking up; either only Riddler prevailed now or they had somehow merged, Oswald didn’t understand how exactly Ed’s mind worked when it came to his other side. That interesting story though, wasn’t enough to distract Oswald from his hands; he was careful with the stitches but the needle still hurt Jim. Oswald didn’t apologize.

“How do we know the chip can’t be reactivated?” Oswald asked Ed once he finished the last stitch.

“Well, when Jimbo found me in Strange’s lab he was fixing it after a...” Ed trailed off and Oswald saw him gulp, he was uncomfortable “-car battery misha-it’s safe to say that I think he shorted it out.”

“Good.” Oswald applied a new gauze to Jim’s neck and directed his next question to him “What’s the plan now?”

“I’m leaving, I’ll try to communicate with Bruce and regain control of the GCPD.” Jim stood up, ready to make his way to the door.

“I’m coming with you.” Oswald declared, he placed the closed first-aid kit on the coffee table and double-checked that his knife was in place.

“No you’re not.” Jim said with his hands on his hips “You’re already on their hit list, bringing you to them… I’m not going to be responsible for that.”

“I’m not asking for your permission, I said I’m going.” Oswald retorted, going to his desk to retrieve his weapon “These maniacs are messing with Gotham and I cannot allow that to go on any longer.”

“I’m coming too.” Ed spoke suddenly, stepping up next to Oswald.

“I don’t trust you.” Jim’s voice lowered, his eyebrows were pinched together.

“Really, Jim? You’d rather be alone out there?” Jim opened his mouth but Oswald didn’t let him get a word in “Do you even have any kind of protection?”

That made the detective shut his mouth. Finally he was listening to some sense.

“You could lend me some of your people-”

“It’s us or nothing, Jim.” Oswald interrupted “I could also provide you with some more ammo.”

When Jim just stared at him, he took it as acceptance and moved to his desk. Jim showed him his gun and Oswald was glad he had some bullets on him for it. He also handed a fully loaded gun to Ed, he trusted the chip was done for.

“Sir,” A man entered alarmed without knocking “-Some army guys just crossed our border in the northeast region!”

“That’s Eduardo.” Jim said aloud before turning to Oswald “We gotta move.”

“Listen, call some men to intercept them. If they ask for Jim or Ed, you haven’t seen them; if they ask for me, tell them I went to the Green Zone.” Oswald instructed “Don’t let them hurt the civilians and make sure they stay out of this place by any means necessary or you will wish you were dead by the time I’m back.”

“Got it, sir.” The goon nodded, the fear in his eyes was enough to reassure Oswald that the job would be done.

“You two, follow me, we have to take a different exit.” He told his temporary allies.

How they knew Jim had gone to him, he was unsure, but he hoped they would make it to a safe spot before that -that son of a bitch could find them.

 

* * *

Well, his new battle group was… anomalous. Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth, all in the Gotham Library fighting for the same side with Jim, Ed and himself. He could hardly believe it was real, let alone functional. At least they were more now and no one had made a fuss for his presence.

It was also rather convenient that Lucius knew how to extract the chip from Ed’s head.

“Thank you, Lucius.” Ed said with a grimace after the work was done. Oswald walked behind him to get a better look at the wound; much smaller that Strange’s, that was good.

Fox made a quick work of decoding the information in the chip. There were recordings of everything that had been said to Ed during the times when he was controlled. That was enough proof to convince the mainland that the attack had come from the outside.

_ “Are you out there, Jim?”  _ Oswald tensed at the voice coming from Jim’s radio, he was ready to kill that man the moment he saw him again.

“What do you want?” Jim asked.

_ “We have someone here who wants to say hello.” _

Oswald narrowed his eyes, he felt like this was going to end badly for them.

_ “Ji-Jim, what’s happening?”  _ Everyone was focused on the radio now; they knew that voice.

“Lee?” Jim confirmed what they all suspected.

_ “We found the Queen of the Narrows in a run-down hidey hole on the north side. Tell me, how many ex-fiancées do you have, anyway?” _ Jim let out a tired breath, that was a topic even Oswald didn’t touch on.

“Leave her out of this, she’s not involved.”

_ “Oh, but she’s a criminal, and all criminals in Gotham are now under a death sentence.”  _ Jim’s eyes quickly passed over Ed and Oswald. Oswald held his blue gaze for a moment, wanting to communicate that he was not afraid.  _ “What happens next is up to you.”  _ Dorrance continued  _ “A trade, perhaps: Lee Thompkins for Ed Nygma.” _

Ed’s head snapped up, surprise evident in his features.

“Fine.” Jim responded, prompting Ed to rise from his seat with a silent question.

_ “Good, bring Nygma to the GCPD now.” _

“No, we meet in Haven; I want you to see the carnage you’ve caused.”

_ “Always so emotional. It’s not how wars are won, Jim.” _

“Those are my terms, take it or leave it.”

_ “Okay, I’ll play your game.” _

“Jim, what are you doing?” Oswald asked as soon as James lowered the radio, he was trying really hard not to yell at that moment “Are you really going to try to negotiate with that gorilla?”

“And I don’t recall volunteering as a trading cheat!” Ed did yell though.

“He doesn’t want Ed, he wants the chip. So I’ll give him the chip.” Jim said sternly but controlled “Bruce, do you have any contacts in the mainland press?”

“Several.” The boy answered.

“What would it take to broadcast the information from the chip to the mainland?” James asked Fox.

“A transmitter, which I have, and a very large antenna, which I do not.”

“I know where’s there an antenna in the Green Zone but you’re not gonna like it.” Jim said after a moment of thought.

“The roof of the GCPD.”

“Oh, great!” Oswald let out annoyed “So we have to go to the GCPD anyway?”

“You are, I’m going to meet with Eduardo.”

“What?” Oswald almost laughed at the stupidity of the notion “No, you’re not.”

“I need to keep him busy while you get to the antenna, it’s our top priority.” Jim replied with more force than Oswald thought necessary.

“Jim, a word, please?” Oswald motioned to a far corner of the room, he was not going to have this discussion in front of everyone else.

Jim rolled his eyes but followed him anyway.

“Are you kidding me?” He asked the Detective in an angry whisper “He’s going to kill you the moment he sets eyes on you.”

“No, he won’t. I know him, he won’t pass up a real fight. It’ll give you enough time to broadcast the information.”

“And you really expect me and Ed to set foot in the GCPD with those morons waiting to shoot us?”

“That’s not going to happen.” Something in Jim’s low tone was reassuring, but not reassuring enough.

“James, you have to guarantee that we’ll live through this.”

“You and Nygma will be fine.”

“And you?” Oswald insisted “You’re going all alone into this suicide mission.”

“In order for it to be worth the sacrifice, you have to do your part with Bruce and the rest.” Jim took a step closer, as if trying to be even more secretive with his next words. “If there was ever a time for us to work together, now is that time.”

Oswald felt a shiver run down his back. It was unfair for Jim to use that phrase against him now, to play with his memories and his emotions in such a way. It was even worse because he knew it was all he needed for Oswald to surrender.

“If you die out there, I will bring you back and kill you myself.”

Jim pressed his lips into a thin line at the threat but nodded nonetheless. They went back to the group to find them already scheming a plan.

This had better work out for all of them.

 

* * *

It worked.

Somehow.

And Oswald still couldn’t believe it. Harvey of all people almost had Ed killed but they managed to follow through with the gas and the transmission. It was done and the mainland finally would be able to see that Gotham was worth helping.

Jim arrived with Lee later that night. The Detective had received quite a beating but he was walking, breathing, talking. He was fine. Oswald took a deep breath and let it out slowly, everyone was alive.

He stayed behind as Jim talked to Bruce and Lucius and saw Lee being taken to Jim’s office. It was weird to see her after months of not knowing anything about her.

“The next time I get the short straw, I’m just gonna walk in the traffic.” Ed said sitting on a desk next to where Oswald was standing. Quite honestly, he would do the same.

Jim entered his office, likely to interrogate the Queen of the Narrows.

“Where has Lee been this whole time?” He wondered aloud. Granted, he hadn’t known about Ed’s whereabouts either until the man appeared in his office. Strange had told him he had let the two of them wander freely after fixing them, of course he had showed his displeasure with a few well placed hits on the Professor, but he decided not to look for either of them: They were alive and that’s all he had asked of him.

“I don’t know.” Edward answered as if the question had been geared towards him “But I’m not gonna wait around and watch their touching reunion.”

“Yes, probably not a good idea.” Oswald agreed, trying not to wince at the knot in his chest “Get that thing off so we can leave.”

“You’re giving me a ride?”

“It’s the least I can do after what you went through.”

Ed nodded and walked into the dressing room. Oswald hoped he wouldn’t take as long to take that suit off as it took to put it on.

He looked back to the office, the door was closed, Lee and Jim inside. Something in the pit of his stomach made him feel sick. His mind was fighting his emotions, there was something his brain wanted to tell him but he couldn’t focus enough to bring it to the forefront.

It was Lee, yes, but it wasn’t just emotional. What was it? She was fixed by Strange, but she hadn’t acted out like Ed, she had just stayed hidden until Walker’s people found her.

_ ‘Better safe than sorry.’  _ His mind supplied, making a choice at last. He had to tell Jim to be careful, just in case his gut instinct was right. Although, he wished he was wrong this time.

He limped up the stairs at a quick pace. Better get it over with.

As he went to knock on the door, he heard strange noises coming from within. Thuds and groans and crashes.

He opened the door immediately, seeing Lee pining Jim to his desk with something long close to his throat. Too close. Jim was moving his arm towards his lamp but a sudden movement from the woman made him retract it to catch the hand closing in on his face. Oswald slammed the door without meaning to and rushed towards the lamp instead and pulled its cable before pressing it against Lee’s head.

The woman went rigid for a couple of seconds and then slumped onto Jim’s chest, unconscious. Jim cradled her carefully while looking at Oswald over her shoulder. He was shaken, that much was obvious, but he was also looking it him with gratitude and relief. 

It was still weird to be on the receiving end of those gazes.

“I just wanted to say that, she could also have a chip.” Was the only thing that he could say.

“How did you figure?” James asked.

“Because she, like Ed, was fixed by Strange.” Jim’s eyes narrowed, there was a much more familiar look.

“Explain yourself.” It was a demand.

“I found the two of them bleeding out in the Narrows. It was me who took them to Strange.”

“How dare you?” Jim’s growl was the lowest he had heard today and he was sure that, if it weren’t for Lee, he’d be with his back against a wall right now “Why did you do that? What gave you the right?!”

“She was dying, Jim!” Oswald exclaimed “I’m pretty sure they were both dead by the time they were with the Professor. I told him to fix them. I couldn’t let them die.”

“You never cared for Lee.”

“You’re right, I never cared for her.” Oswald admitted, the accusation hurting him in its honesty “If it were for me, I would have left her in a puddle of her own blood in the Narrows.”

“Why did you do it, then?” Jim pulled Lee closer as if trying to protect her. The fool.

“Because it was bigger than me.” It was the first time he was telling anyone this, it was liberating in a way “I may not have cared, but others did, and she was part of Gotham’s system. She had to be brought back.”

Jim looked down at Lee, he seemed lost in thought. Oswald couldn’t blame him, he’d be the same in his position. Or maybe not. Jim was a good man, he would have tried to save Ed and Lee because it was the right thing to do, he didn’t need a reason. But Oswald always had a reason and Jim was trying to understand it.

There was a knock at the door.

“Hey, Jim, I-” Harvey stepped inside without waiting for a reply but halted when he laid eyes on the scene, immediately he turned to Oswald and took him forcefully by the lapel “What the hell did you do?”

“He saved me, Harvey.” Jim answered right away “Lee also has a chip and she attacked me, Oswald knocked her out before she could hurt me.”

Harvey’s shock was so pure, Oswald wanted to laugh to his face but he settled for a challenging sneer.

“Let me go.” He ordered and Harvey obeyed.

“Did you need something, Harv?” Jim stood up from his desk and set Lee carefully in one of the chairs.

“I actually came here to ask if you had seen Penguin.” Bullock answered before turning to Oswald “Nygma’s looking for you, said you promised to give him a ride.”

“Indeed, I did promise that.” Oswald nodded once and turned to Jim “I must be going. Take care, old friend.”

“Thank you.” Jim said as soon as Oswald had turned his back on him “... Again.”

He left then to find Ed who questioned him but didn’t get a straight answer.

He saw Barbara walk up the stairs of the precinct after his car door was already closed. What would she want so late at night?

Well, it was none of his business. He deserved a good rest after such a busy day: The mission, the moving, the arguments.

He slept deeply that night, like he hadn’t in years; dreams filled with a deep voice and various shades of blue.


	5. I am an honest criminal (Scene seven months in)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven months after the bridges blew, Jim finds himself doing a little project with Oswald. It goes better than he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made them spend time together! Because next two chapters have to do with 5x11 and I had to get these men moving, come on guys! Using the prompts "One teaching the other" and "Building something together".
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

It had been almost seven months since the bridges blew. About four since Jeremiah poisoned the water at the bay. And just a little over that since he found out he was going to be a father. He felt horrible for trying to compare his feelings between those three things once upon a time.

Now, though he was more used to the idea of a baby coming. Lee was overlooking Barbara’s pregnancy so he trusted everything would be fine. He could spend time with the people, focus on the rations and resources and making rounds close to the zone in search of people looking for help.

That day, however, he was busy with something completely different.

Jim wasn’t really sure how he had ended up in this situation. Nothing new for him if he was honest, but he still was curious.

“You are aware that I could be doing much better things back home, right?”

“The refugees wanted to see you do this because they say you want to abandon them.”

“You must be happy to see them coming back to the Green Zone.” Oswald said taking off his jacket. His waistcoat and shirt still looked too uncomfortable to be working in but he didn’t comment.

“Once upon a time, yes, but you were taking care of them after Haven and I thought you were happy with the people going to you.” Jim said, surprised that the shorter man wasn’t putting up more of a fight.

“I’ve just been busy lately.” Oswald replied distractedly.

“Yeah, some people say you’ve been going to the library often and Barbara told me Nygma is living with you now.” Jim tried to not sound suspicious but the lack of interest Oswald was showing was rather unexpected considering what had happened in Haven when they first met there.

“Ed and I are rekindling our friendship, thank you for your interest.” Oswald folded his sleeves up to his elbows much like Jim had his “Now, how are we supposed to do this?”

“You’ve never built a birdhouse before?”

“I was too busy to waste time with such trivial things. Besides, if you want to observe birds you could easily cage them so you can see them any time you want.” Oswald shrugged looking at the wood in front of them.

“But this way you give them a safe place where they can eat and hide.” Jim pointed out “We’ll do some simple ones, the designs are already drawn on the wood.”

There wasn’t a lot of wood to work with; just enough to build five bird houses, but the kids had mentioned wishing they could see more birds and, while a house didn’t guarantee the appearance of more of them, there was no harm in trying.

He was planning on asking Harvey to help, but he wanted it to be a surprise so Harvey was with some volunteers making sure children stayed away from the working area.

As for Oswald’s presence: A couple of families had arrived the day prior from Oswald’s territory, saying that they weren’t sure Penguin cared about them anymore so he had made a visit that evening to propose Oswald to help him, which he had accepted begrudgingly. One they showed the finished work to the refugees, they would be convinced Oswald still looked out for them; Jim’ll tell him to take a couple of birdhouse back to his people.

Harvey had asked him about his sudden interest in making the Penguin likable after claiming that people were better off away from him. He had promptly changed the subject, like he did when he was asked why wasn’t Cobblepot dead by his hand yet. He didn’t have an answer to the first question and he certainly didn’t want to even think up on one for the second one.

He hated to be asked “why?”.

“Fine, let us start.” Oswald took one of the saws and cut the first piece.

Or tried to.

“Need a hand?” Jim asked with barely hidden amusement, Oswald was having a really hard time pulling the saw back, if he pulled harder he might end up hitting himself in the face.

“I think I am capable enough of handling a saw.” Despite the tenacity, the saw was still very much trapped and didn’t seem to be moving any time soon “Why won’t it move!”

“Ok, that’s enough.” Jim finally stepped up and pushed Oswald’s hands away. He was quick to feel where the saw was stuck and made a single moment to set it free. Oswald’s widened eyes were priceless.

“How did you do that?”

“You were angling it wrong.” Jim explained “You can’t have the diagonal too pronounced or the teeth will get caught in the wood.”

“Maybe I should help Ed after all.” It was a murmur, but Jim still heard it.

“Help him with what?”

“Nothing, he sometimes likes to build random things.” Oswald said with a wave of his hand, although, Jim could read there was something unsaid “Show me how to do it then, James.”

“It’s not that hard.”

Later, once in bed, ready to sleep and with his skin still tingling, he would tell himself everything he did was because it was the fastest way to teach Oswald. He gave Oswald the saw again and then stepped behind him. He had to cross his right arm over Oswald’s chest to reach his left hand, which inevitably left him pressed against the other man’s back. Jim’s left hand rested on the wood to keep it (and him) steady.

“What are you doing?” The tremble in Oswald’s voice  _ had _ to have been his imagination.

“I’m going to guide you.” He explained, moving his head over Oswald’s shoulder so he could see. He felt the heat from Oswald’s cheek heat up the thin space Jim left with his own face.

It was a hot day, of course Oswald was warm. The weather was also toying with him if the heat in the back of his neck was any indication.

“See? This is much easier with the right angle.” He was not whispering, he just was using a low volume because he was too close to Oswald’s ear and didn’t want to hurt him. “One side done, do you want to try the other one by yourself?”

“Uh-” Oswald cleared his throat and moved his arm to get off the half-embrace “Or, you could cut the wood yourself and I’ll take care of the other tasks.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Jim accepted, taking the saw from Oswald, careful not to let it fall, even if it meant brushing the smaller fingers for longer than necessary “Let me finish and I’ll teach you how to put the house together.”

The atmosphere around them was uneasy. Not in the same way it usually is with them: Filled with anticipation on whether the other would attack them, wondering if what they heard were lies and if they themselves could be honest. This was different. Positive.

The next touch of their hands wasn’t nearly was tentative as the first one. When Jim put his sweaty hands over Oswald’s clammy ones to hold the wooden walls steady, it didn’t feel wrong or unpleasant.

“We don’t have enough nails but this glue is really strong, we just need to make sure it dries enough so it won’t separate when you let it go.”

“Very well.”

“I wish we had some paint to decorate them.” Jim said wistfully.

“Maybe the children will find something, they can be resourceful.” Oswald shrugged the best he could in his current position, Jim felt the movement of his thin shoulders against his chest.

“I just hope they like them.”

“Children love you, Jim, they will adore this."

Oswald sounded so sure of that. How was he so sure of that when the one expecting a child was Jim?

“I hope you’re right.” He said, baring more than he had expected in that single confession.

“I am an honest criminal, Jim, remember?” Jim could hear the smirk and let himself smile to Oswald’s hair. He didn’t was the shorter man to see it and feel victorious, it shouldn’t be that easy.

Jim could swear he felt Oswald lean against him for a second. Maybe he was just fixing his posture or his leg was getting tired, but it was… nice. Oswald had loosened his tie when Jim did and now he really did look like a man who’s worked up a sweat from working.

It wasn’t a bad look on the mobster. It made Jim wonder, not for the first time, what would have been had Oswald not been a criminal. If he had had a lawful job. Perhaps they could have been friends, work together, keep in contact, know each other.

Similar to what they had. But without the guilt and pain; no fights, threats or challenges. No forced alliances and no fake peace.

“I think we can let it go now, we’ll tie it with some string and move onto the next one.” Jim let go of Oswald’s hands without the anticipation he had felt with the saw. He moved easier, breathed better. Appreciated the warmth that had nothing to do with his current duty or the humidity in the air.

They finished the houses when the sun was setting. Jim couldn’t remember the last time he felt so happy at the end of the day. He didn’t even mind that it had been Oswald he had spent the day with, he even kind of liked the sound of that  _ -note to self, don’t tell Harvey that- _ . He still didn’t smile when saying goodbye to Oswald, though. But he made it clear it had been a good experience with his face, with his eyes, with his tone of voice.

Oswald did smile though, when Jim thanked him. Such a small gesture that still meant enough, after everything they’ve been through, he learned they had built enough of a relationship to be happy with the smallest of details. Those were the ones that spoke the loudest.


	6. I'm not moving (Divergence 5x11)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gotham is safe, Bane has been stopped and the government will finally help. There was, however, something that Oswald needed to take care of first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK just one chapter left! I'm so excited! It might be posted on Monday but either way I'm pumped. Thank you guys for following this, hope you like this last chapter from Oz's POV, next one will be from Jim's; he has some things to work out.

The war for Gotham was over. They had won.

Everyone was celebrating the military turning on Bane, the civilians had procured musical instruments and gotten to dancing. People from the mainland had already promised to send choppers with supplies right away so all the canned food had been taken off the shelves and turned into a makeshift banquet.

Oswald had wanted to join the celebration: People recognized him as one of the few who stood in front of the army, ready to die for Gotham. He was loved, he longed to enjoy that.

Alas, a certain Detective and a cold logician had other plans.

“Yes, he’s going to need some work.” Lee said after examining his wounded eye “Cleaning, disinfecting, stitches, ointment and dressing. As well as a full course of antibiotics and painkillers.We’ll need to check the eye when the skin is better to see if he’ll lose it.”

“Don’t talk about me as if I weren’t here.” Oswald grunted from the hospital bed. Lee was clearly more interested in telling Jim and Ed his condition than the patient himself.

“You didn’t answer any of the questions I asked you, Ed did it, so don’t act as if you deserve to be an active participant on this.” Lee told him sternly.

So what if he had remained quiet? He didn’t want to tell her anything about his moment of weakness. The moment he felt he was going to lose his best friend and just acted. He had helped save Gotham! If he didn’t want Dr. Leslie Thompkins to check his eye, his decision should have been respected. Instead, he had been brought to her office inside the GCPD against his wishes.

At least, the civilians’ celebration wasn’t in the precinct; that would have been noisy.

“I need to go to the clinic for the material, it shouldn’t take too long.” Lee spoke to the standing men again “Could you stay here and make sure he doesn’t escape?”

“Ok.” Jim and Ed said in unison, neither one of them seemed too bothered by the petition.

“I’ll be back soon.” And with that, Lee was gone. The other men’s eyes turning back to him made Oswald feel uneasy, he was not in the mood to be judged by them.

“Ed, please bring me my baby, I want to see him.” Oswald requested, he could get rid of one of them at least. It was always easier to deal with individuals than groups.

“I highly doubt you’ll behave if I leave you alone.” Ed responded narrowing his eyes, Oswald rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

“I’ll watch him.” Jim offered with his hands on his hips “If he starts screaming for his dog again I’m going to knock him out.”

Ed looked between them, assessing the situation, until he made a decision.

“Fine-” Ed turned sharply to Jim and pointed a gloved finger to his face “, but if anything happens, I’m blaming you.”

“How is this different from every other time?” Jim raised his chin, not at all put off by Ed’s much graver tone.

“Don’t test me.” Ed warned and turned back to Oswald, considerably calmer “I’ll bring your dog back, but you better let yourself be treated.”

“Yes, mother, can you just go? My baby’s all alone.” Oswald waved a hand dismissively towards the door. Ed huffed but did as he was told anyway. When the door closed, it was just Jim and he in the room.

“I can’t believe you stayed to fight after the grenade.” Jim said without looking at him, his voice lacking the growl and sarcasm always ready for Oswald “I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner how big the damage was, I should have… I…”

“You had to save Barbara and your daughter, I understand.” Oswald spoke up when Jim was unable to continue, he decided not to point out the fact that he had never heard an honest apology from Jim before “No one saw the expanse of the damage besides Ed. He helped me stop the bleeding and bandage it up so I could still fight. We had quite an argument because he didn’t want us going back out there.”

“Maybe he was right.” Jim looked at him briefly and moved his gaze to the wall just as quickly “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you were there. It was nostalgic, I guess.”

“I never took you for one to care about nostalgia.” Oswald felt his eye itch but resisted the urge to scratch it and just fanned some air instead. A clean gauze appeared in his line of sight, Jim was offering it to him “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.” Jim sighed, pacing like a caged lion “I mean, it shouldn’t be… out of everyone in that barricade.”

“I did say my blood was part of Gotham.” Oswald commented, the light press of the gauze had been enough to appease his skin “I knew this was a possibility; as long as this city is safe, small sacrifices are acceptable.”

Jim kept quiet, surely he understood what Oswald was saying.

“You’re a man of war, Jim, and you have made sacrifices for Gotham too.” He said, unsure why he needed to reassure the other man “This could have been you.”

“But it wasn’t.”

“You couldn’t have prevented it.”

“... I wish I could have.”

Wait, what? Oswald snapped his head up and tried to find Jim’s eyes but all he found was the detective’s back turned to him. Was Jim just tired of having regrets? Why would he regret this happening to him, though? His hero complex had never been geared towards Oswald, he protected everyone and felt guilty when he failed someone, but not Oswald. Never him.

He didn’t need that, not anymore.

“James, this was my battle too.”

“Why did you make Eduardo focus on you?”

Oh, so he knew.

“If I kept him distracted, everyone else was more likely to land a hit on him.” He explained his reasoning “Without their leader, the army would have stopped attacking.” Jim shook his head as if Oswald were a stubborn child “What is the problem? He wanted to kill me anyway.”

“You didn’t have to give him the offer.” Jim stalked up to him, his voice like a growling wolf and his eyes like blue flames “Today, of all days, you shouldn’t have tempted death! I don’t think you have more lives to spare!”

“I didn’t care, because you were safe!”

That shut them both up. Oswald could feel James’ gaze on him, but he was too busy looking at nothing to care. Had he just-? Did that really-?

“What does that mean?” Jim’s voice confirmed that, yes, he had just said that out loud.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t you dare play this off as if it’s nothing.”

“What does it matter to you?”

“You just implied that you were risking your life to save mine.” Jim got closer. In their current position, Jim was over a head taller than Oswald and he hadn’t felt so small in front of the blonde man in years.

Why? Why now? He thought he was beyond that! After Arkham and Sofia! After the shot to his knee and the robbery of his people! He had fallen in love with someone else, when had that faded away? When did he go back in time to when he was Fish’s umbrella boy or even when he lost his mother?

“I have to go.” He made to stand from the bed but found his shoulders in a firm grip keeping him in place.

“No, you’re not leaving.” Jim stated, fighting against Oswald’s attempts to shake his hands off.

“Since when do you want me around?”

“Stop evading the topic.”

“Let go of me before-” Oswald was rudely interrupted when he was pushed on his left side and manhandled onto his back until he had James Gordon sitting on his hips and both of his hands pressed against the bed next to his head.

“You were willing to risk your life for mine?” Jim asked from his place above him, he was like a predator snarling at his prey.

“I need Gotham, James.” Oswald finally said through his teeth “I need this city, but this city needs you.”

“You were going to leave, why did you come back?” Behind the low tones, Oswald could detect something else. Soft and earnest.

“I told you why.”

“You’re holding something back, I know you are.” Jim insisted, his grip on Oswald’s wrists tightening slightly without hurting.

“How can you be so sure?” He challenged “Is there something you’re holding back?”

Jim’s silence shocked Oswald. He had tried it as a cheap trick to distract the other and free his hands, the fact that Jim’s eyes stayed steadily on his told him the detective was, not only holding something back, but also aware of it.

Oswald’s heart jumped in his chest. Did Jim know about his other reason? Did he suspect at least? If so, why did he want Oswald to say it? If he wanted to hear it so badly maybe he just wanted to make fun of him, reject him, get him off his back once and for all. Destroy everything he ever felt -everything he  _ still _ felt.

And yet, a silly little part of him asked instead, what if it was the opposite? If Jim, like him, had tried to ignore it? Maybe he needed a confirmation to take the leap. Perhaps he was too scared to make the first move.

It was unfair.

“Get off me, James”

“I’m not moving.”

James Gordon didn’t play fair. Not with him. He had to say that now, had to use against him the same thing said that when he was protecting him… Jim had protected him; he was willing to take Barbara’s bullet for him, he had helped him escape after interrogating him, he had fought Bane to give them time.

“What do you want me to say?” Oswald asked at last.

“Everything.” Jim didn’t hesitate “I just need you to be honest.”

“Would it make you happy if I said I came back for you? Is that what you want to hear?” Oswald felt Jim’s hands twitch, but the taller man didn’t falter.

“That’s what I want to find out.” The detective seemed to be deep in though, fighting a battle with himself “For that to happen, I need you to be honest with me.”

“Why now?” Oswald asked in barely a whisper, a plead.

“Because I want to know if I’m too late.” James’ answer was equally quiet and fragile “So much has happened, there’s a future for Gotham again and everything you’ve done will be pardoned. It’s a brand new start for everyone. It could be one for you and me, too.”

“What if I told you that you’re too late?” Oswald retorted looking at the door, he was longing, he was aching, he had been for years; Jim had to be made aware of that “What if I said that I’ve moved on, that we can be allies and no more, that the wounds are too deep to forget and that I’ve found someone new.”

“I’d accept it.” Oswald’s heart cracked a little at the short answer “If that were the truth.”

“Pardon?”

“If you repeat that, while looking me in the eye, I’ll believe it.” Jim lowered himself closer to Oswald’s face “Just, please, I need to hear you say something.”

There was raw honesty in those sapphires, one that demanded the same from him. His breath caught in his throat. Jim  _ should _ be the one to say something first. Then again, he was, in his own way, already saying a lot.

Was Oswald ready, though?

“I’m ba- Oh god, are you kidding me?” The door to their left opened to reveal Lee with a medium-sized bag hanging from her hand and a befuddled expression.

Jim let Oswald go and got off the bed in one swift movement, but it was nothing like the brusque retreat he expected at first with claims of it being “not what it looked like”.

“We were talking.” Was what Jim said.

“Somehow, I believe you.” Lee let out an exasperated sigh “Sit up, Oswald; it’ll be better for both.”

Oswald sat up with Jim’s help and let Lee do her work.

Ed arrived a few minutes later with a muddy puppy and a crestfallen face. The Riddler refused to talk about the reason in the precinct though. The group behaved civilly for the rest of the procedure and until Ed and Oswald retired with the medicine and instructions for the upcoming days.

Oswald didn’t get a chance to speak with Jim again that day and for a few more days.

It was enough time for him to make up his mind.


	7. You and I share a bond (Divergence Post-5x11)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Oswald need to clear everything out. It's time to decide where they want to go from here and face their fears. Maybe Gotham city had known the truth all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day late but I bring the conclussion! I'm so happy! And I suck at writing fluff, yay! Please don't kill me.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who followed this. My very first Gobblepot and I couldn't have done it without [Librarity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Librarity/pseuds/Librarity) and [CaptainChilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainChilly) and of course the beautiful people who read and commented like [stamppvindy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stamppvindy/pseuds/stamppvindy) who reviewed every single chapter and [greenfairy13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenfairy13/pseuds/greenfairy13)! Thank you so much guys!
> 
> Hope this ending is worth the wait!
> 
> Prompts: Dancing together/One surprising the other.

Jim looked around nervously. He wasn’t used to this kind of events, he hadn’t been to one since Barbara and him were still engaged and he had, almost, skipped this one.

He needed to attend, though.

The morning before, he and his colleagues had been condecorated and full pardons had been handed to a certain handful of people. He had hoped to speak with Oswald after the ceremony but Bruce and Harvey had requested his attention and he had some more things to do before he realized the black-haired man had left early. Barbara found Jim in the evening, letting him know that she had been able to arrange a small gala with the people from the mainland and a few select guests from Gotham. As he was thinking on a way to politely decline, she added rather coyly:

_“Ozzie’s coming, I already invited him.”_

How did Barbara know what to say to get him to accept? He probably had Lee to thank for that. And, if this went well for him, he’d definitely do it.

He hadn’t talked to Oswald since that day at the precinct. When he had basically begged Oswald to tell him that he still had feelings for Jim. He later thought that it had been too daring of him to assume the Kingpin had ever had romantic feelings for him, regardless of the besotted looks and the insistence; maybe Oswald _had_ only ever wanted to befriend him and did not have a crush on him at all, he just didn’t know how to properly express platonic feelings. But, then, the way that green eye looked at him from the hospital bed, his inability to tell him directly that there could be nothing between them, his admittance to have sacrificed for him.

He had a chance, possibly his last one.

Over the last few months, Jim had been closer to Oswald than he thought he would in no-man’s-land. They had gone through good and bad times and fought side by side for the city that brought them together whether they wanted or not.

The difference was that he _wanted_ her to bring them together now and, if his presence here made it easier, there was no way he wasn’t going to take advantage of it. So, there he was, the cleanest he had been in months, in his least worst suit, with his heart in his throat and a half-full flute champagne in his hand; waiting for that trademark feathery hair to enter through the door of the surprisingly untouched mansion. Jim didn’t even know whose place it was, he didn’t care, it was just a place for him to act.

He tried to keep a low profile, but person after person came to talk to him, praising his work and thanking him for everything he did. He lost so much time with all of them that he was sure Oswald had already arrived and he had missed him. Was he looking for Jim too?

His manners lowered considerably after that thought, anyone who wanted to stop him quickly got shut down. His feet moved in automatic towards the snack table, his stomach wasn’t growling but it was his best bet along with the bar.

Luck was on his side, even from afar he could see Oswald’s back by the table, talking animatedly with Edward Nygma. Despite their more-than-dubious background, the two pardoned men blended with the people in the gala better than Jim ever could. His feet were suddenly heavy, his way looked longer, the doubt spreading in his chest threatened to stop him. He pushed through, reminding himself that there was nothing he wanted more at this moment than clear things up with the shorter man.

“Oswald!”

One wide green pool looked at him, the other hidden behind a black, velvety patch. Oswald seemed caught off guard but not unpleasantly so; good sign.

“Jim, I was hoping to see you.” The dapper man smiled shyly, such a reminder to the first few months they knew one another. “I believe we have a conversation to finish.”

“We do.” Jim exhaled relieved.

“Ed, could you-”

“Attention, everyone!” Barbara’s voice came from the microphone, silencing the room at once “It’s dancing time, please vacate the center of the room to make space for the lovely people who would like to participate in the activity.”

The guests did as they were told and Jim grew more annoyed the closer those people got to them. He didn’t want to wait anymore to talk, if he could just find a private place quickly-

The string quartet in the corner started playing a slow melody and a few couples separated from the multitude to dance… That wasn’t a bad idea.

“Would you like to dance?” He asked, extending his hand towards Oswald whose befuddled face was absolutely priceless.

“In front of everyone, James?”

Jim looked around. Granted, having a private conversation in the middle of a dance floor with a former convicted criminal a day after being made Commissioner was ironic at the very least. Everyone would be able to see them, judge them; everything he thought was important to keep his reputation intact.

“Yes, do you mind?” Jim was done caring and was inviting Oswald to accept his offer of openness.

Oswald looked at him with some mistrust, Jim couldn’t blame him. He was about to pull his hand back when Oswald’s palm rested on his, he was comforted in the fact that his hand wasn’t the only one sweating.

Jim led the smaller man to the dance floor. He could feel eyes on them and hear voices murmuring words he couldn’t make out. He would have minded before, when he still didn’t want to think about Oswald as anything remotely resembling a friend. Let alone more.

But, as he rested his hand on Oswald’s waist and held Oswald’s hand in his other close to his shoulder, he realized that he hadn’t been delirious back in the M.E.’s office: This could be their new beginning.

Jim moved slowly, mindful of Oswald’s leg. For a heartbeat, he forgot he was there to talk, lost in the angular features before him and the beautiful orb that lost its equal saving a legacy. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“Jim, I want to talk to you honestly,” Oswald startled him from his thoughts with his voice, barely high enough to be heard by him over the music “-so I want to make sure that you are ready to hear the truth.”

“I am.” Jim said decided,trying to keep his anticipation under control “Whatever it is.”

“We’ve known each other for years. Our interactions changed with us; we are no longer the same we were when you spared my life at the pier.” Oswald’s gaze didn’t wander from Jim’s own, he was being truthful like Jim had asked of him “These last few months have been unexpected, intense, difficult. I had made up my mind when the bridges blew that I had been hurt one time too many to let anyone back into my heart.”

Jim swallowed, he had noticed Oswald’s cold demeanor with almost everyone around him; more interested in gaining “love” through fear and control than actual caring. That was at the start though, after Haven, Jim saw more of the old Oswald than he had in a long time.

“I failed of course; my heart is my biggest weakness, it’ll always be.” Oswald sighed as if it hurt him to admit it but continued still “Yes, it was you.”

“What?” Jim needed to hear it again.

“I did come back to defend Gotham, but it was knowing you’d be fighting what made me decide when I was doubting. That’s why I came straight to you.” Oswald confirmed, his cheeks tinted pink in the most adorable way “Gotham is my soul, but my heart-” Oswald pulled their intertwined hands and turned them so Jim’s knuckles were pressed against his chest “-my heart has your name on it and calls for you with every beat, coursing your very existence through my veins.”

Jim held his breath, afraid one wrong movement would break this moment, afraid he would wake up in bed alone and with nothing but regrets; he needed something to reassure him that this was really happening. And, then, he felt it; a steady thump under the skin of the back of his hand. Oswald’s heart was beating, the thin hand in his own was warm and sweating still, Oswald’s expensive cologne strong around them and one big green eye was looking anxiously at him.

This was real. It was really happening. He had to go for it now.

“I needed to hear you say that.” A small smile spread on Jim’s face, he could feel the muscles in his face tense with an expression he had never thought would be directed towards the infamous Penguin “You and I share a bond in Gotham, she always pushed us together for one reason or another; I didn’t want to see it. We are different, in many ways, but you have been the one constant in my life for the last five years and it’s worked in unexpected ways.”

Jim’s hand moved from Oswald’s waist to his back, pulling him closer slowly to give him the option in case the other man decided to walk away. There was no resistance.

“I’m sorry for the times I’ve hurt you- and no, you don’t need to apologize.” Jim said when Oswald opened his mouth, he already knew what he would say “I know words will never be enough to make up for everything that happened, I’ve never been good with them anyway, but I’m ready now to follow what Gotham has been trying to tell me this entire time.”

Jim got even closer to Oswald, their dancing no more than a light swaying by now. He pressed his chest to the back of Oswald’s hand still trapped in his, they were so close now that their legs were, too, slightly intertwined. He couldn’t recall feeling so safe in someone else’s arms before.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that my heart ached for the one person I always tried to keep out of it, without realizing they had already claimed it.” This was it, with his stare unwavering and his voice strong he finally let his feelings spill out “I love you, Oswald.”

Jim barely caught sight of Oswald’s teary eye before two thin arms wrapped around his neck and a sharp cheekbone pressed against the side of his face.

“I love you too, Jim.” Oswald breathed close to his ear, making him shiver. Jim steadied himself by circling Oswald’s torso with his arms.

Every person that Jim had ever loved and held in his arms had awakened emotions in him. Oswald was no different. There was this sense of uncertainty and respect that somehow blended with a desire to protect and trust. It was a balanced gradient from black to white and all the grey area in-between was filled to the brim with promises, fantasies and chances.

They always made their unions work, someway or another. They would also make this one work.

But he needed a seal to that.

“Can I kiss you?” Jim whispered into Oswald’s ear taking advantage of the position. Oswald tensed slightly and Jim felt like he needed to take it back when the shorter man answered:

“Yes.”

Jim pulled away from Oswald’s shoulder until he could see his face, it was vulnerable like all those years back. Jim had to cup Oswald’s cheek, to reassure him that he was safe with him, and felt all tension leave him when Oswald leaned into the touch. Jim smiled again and leaned in, seeking Oswald’s thin lips with his own as his eyelids slid closed.

The first touch was warm, tentative and short. And Jim found himself craving for more the second their lips separated, so he went in again to find contact, feeling Oswald moving slowly against his mouth. Unsure little kisses was what Oswald was offering Jim and he took it eagerly, trying to give back the confidence Oswald was lacking.

When they parted, Jim felt his lips tingling, overloaded with pleasant sensations and still unsatisfied. He held back, because he was sure that had been Oswald’s very first kiss and he was the one who deserved to decide what came next.

Oswald looked to the side and turned quickly to press his forehead against Jim’s chest, hiding his face. Curious, Jim also looked around them; the music had stopped, all couples were still (including them, somehow) and there was not a single person who wasn’t staring at them. Jim could hear some murmurs jump about and a few clearing of throats. He was expecting panic to crawl up his spine and a desperate need to run away to make him let go of the embrace. 

Nothing of the sort came.

It was invigorating to realize and, as the next piece started and everyone’s attention moved onto other things, Jim pressed his chin carefully to Oswald’s crown.

“Are you ok... Oz?” Jim dared to use a nickname, hoping Oswald would like it and feel more at ease.

“I thought you’d leave.” Oswald admitted still hidden.

“I’m tired of leaving.”

Oswald looked up at him and smiled again, sincerely, fondly. Jim had to make him smile like that more often.

“What now?”

“Well, I was wondering if you would mind dancing another piece with me.” Jim answered with a smile before feeling Oswald start leading their swaying to the soft string rhythm.

“I’d be delighted, Commissioner.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for making it this far! Kudos and comments are very much appreciated :3


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